The term “fragmented mandate” aptly describes the results of Meghalaya Assembly Election, while the incumbent The National People’s Party led by Conrad Sangma emerged as the single largest party. With 26 seats in the 60-member assembly (an increase of seven from 2018), the fact that apart from the two independents seven other parties with at least two seats presented a mandate required a post-poll alliance . Former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Trinamool Congress leaders tried to form a new alliance without the NPP and the BJP (two seats each), but their party won only five seats, thus making such an alliance impossible. Any coalition formed with smaller parties would have been unstable. The BJP walked out of its alliance with the NPP and contested all 60 seats in an attempt to garner votes by exposing corruption in the NPP-led regime, but after the election the party immediately agreed to support the NPP. It is easy to see why the NPP prefers an alliance with the BJP – governments in the north-east depend on central fund transfers and keeping the central government in a good mood is seen as an imperative. But immediately joining the government after accusing the BJP of corruption also signals desperation to use the loaves of power to expand its base. After some intrigue, the United Democratic Party with 11 seats and the People’s Democratic Front with two seats offered support to the NPP, which was also bolstered by the support of two independents and two MLAs from the Hill State People’s Democratic Party. , giving the coalition a comfortable majority.
Although the NPP did not get an absolute majority, it managed to expand its base beyond Garo Hills with eight victories in the Jaintia Hills and Khasi Hills regions. This has allowed it to replace Congress as the sole power with pan-state appeals. With such a mandate, the party should focus on addressing age-old development issues in the state, which still suffers from high poverty rates – a NITI Aayog report ranked Meghalaya with 32.67% of its population below the poverty line. Listed as India’s fifth poorest. Corruption, a curse, has hindered the development of infrastructure; There is a lot of illegal mining in the mineral-rich state. A renewed and expanded mandate for Conrad Sangma, but one that is dependent on the support of other parties, should ideally keep the government on its toes as far as raising policy issues rather than participating in coalition ally patronage more interested.